China opens new visa application centre in Kuwait

KUWAIT, December 16, 2018

VFS Global, a major outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, has opened a new China visa application centre in Kuwait.

The launch of the centre in Kuwait City marks the opening of a third such visa submission facility in the Middle East after the launch of similar centres in Dubai and Beirut.

A joint statement from the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait and VFS Global said residents applying for a visa to China need not visit the embassy to submit their visa applications going forward. The China Visa Application Center in Kuwait City, managed by VFS Global, will proficiently facilitate the end-to-end visa application submission process in a professionally managed and comfortable environment.

Officially inaugurating the new China Visa Application Centre, Zhao Liang, Charge d'Affaires A.I., Chinese Embassy in the State of Kuwait, said: “The People's Republic of China and the State of Kuwait share a long-standing friendship. Kuwait is the first Arabian country in the Gulf area to establish diplomatic relations with China and in recent years, the cooperation between the two countries in all fields have grown rapidly, thus encouraging the development of robust bilateral relations between China and Kuwait. To further facilitate and enhance people-to-people exchanges and to promote visa application service standards, China has established this new, professionally managed China Visa Application Centre in Kuwait. The new centre will offer the residents of Kuwait a more convenient and highly- efficient visa application service.”

VFS Global currently operates China Visa Application Centres on behalf of the Government of China in 12 countries across the globe – Kuwait, Algeria, Angola, Gambia, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the UAE.

Commenting on the centre in Kuwait, Vinay Malhotra, regional group COO - Middle East, South Asia & China, VFS Global, said: “Ever since we began our partnership with the Government of China in 2008, we have steadily expanded the Visa Application Centre network across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, and cumulatively process approximately 350,000 visa applications to China annually across these regions. With the advancement of trade and tourism ties between Kuwait and China, we are confident this new centre will be effective in meeting the rising demand of Chinese visas for travellers from Kuwait.”

An exclusive ‘China in Luxury’ retail offering, which offers ultra-premium travel experiences in China, was also launched at the China Visa Application Centre in Kuwait City. Through China in Luxury, VFS Global will offer residents of Kuwait customised tourism experiences that open up a world of exclusivity and one-of-a-kind travel in China.

The key features of the China Visa Application Center in Kuwait, which ensures an enhanced customer experience, include longer operating hours, professionally trained staff fluent in the local language and English, an Automated Queue Management system for seamless submission of applications and a Premium Lounge for a more personalised submission process.